© 2009 Palgrave Macmillan 0955–1662 Security Journal Vol. 22, 3, 205–218 www.palgrave-journals.com/sj/ Original Article The effectiveness of women’s safety audits Carolyn Whitzman a, *, Margaret Shaw b , Caroline Andrew c and Kathryn Travers d a Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. E-mail: whitzman@unimelb.edu.au b International Centre for the Prevention of Crime, Montreal, Canada. c Faculty of Social Science, University of Ottawa, Canada. d Women in Cities International, Montreal, Canada. *Corresponding author. Abstract This paper discusses a methodological tool – the women’s safety audit – initially developed in Canada, but which has been adapted and used in many regions of the world. The women’s safety audit allows participants to identify safe and unsafe spaces and recommend how the unsafe spaces can be improved. In doing so, the women’s safety audit privileges the experience of women living in a neighbourhood as ‘experts’ in their own field. Based on inter- views with six organizations in Europe, Africa and Asia and on an analysis of written sources, the paper examines some of the applications, outcomes and challenges of this methodology. The findings suggest that the audit is adaptable to local contexts, can be effective for bringing about environment changes, empowering women and alerting the public and authorities to the shared responsibility for ensuring the safety of women. Security Journal (2009) 22, 205–218. doi:10.1057/sj.2009.1; published online 18 May 2009 Keywords: women’s safety; safety audits; violence prevention; United Kingdom; India; Africa Introduction Women’s safety audits have been defined as ‘a process which brings individuals together to walk through a physical environment, evaluate how safe it feels to them, identify ways to make the space safer and organize to bring about these changes’ (WACAV (Women’s Action Centre Against Violence Ottawa-Carleton), 1995, p. 1). Since it was developed by Toronto’s Metro Action Committee on Public Violence Against Women and Children (METRAC, 1989), the women’s safety audit tool has been disseminated to different regions of the world. Women’s safety audits raise fascinating conceptual questions and introduce very practical tools for interventions in communities. In this paper we evaluate the use that has been made of women’s safety audits across the world. At the same time, we raise some conceptual issues – Whose knowledge is used in building communities? Whose knowledge is seen as legitimate? What kinds of knowledge can be understood and by whom? – as well as describing the practical nature of women’s safety audits as a tool for improving urban planning and management. 1